Breakdown
by redhedqt
Summary: Craig, Manny, and Jimmy all lead double lives at Degrassi. But what happens when Craig makes a bet he can't get out of, the cops catch up with Jimmy, and Manny crosses the wrong guy?
1. Introduction

Breakdown  
  
Introduction  
  
Everyone at Degrassi has secrets. But some people have secrets that could get them in trouble. A lot of trouble. Jailtime trouble.  
  
Manny, Craig, and Jimmy do things no one at Degrassi would ever dream of accusing them of doing. But it gives them what they want. Money, respect, and a little bit of excitement. But what happens when Craig makes a bet he can't talk his way out of, the cops finally catch up to Jimmy, and Manny crosses the wrong guy? 


	2. Chapter One: A Seller's Market

[Author's Note: I know this is totally out of character for Jimmy, Manny, and Craig, but I wanted to do more of a dangerous, exciting story with the Degrassi characters. This is kind of interesting because the story idea came from my first independent film (also called Breakdown), I just switched it from my characters to Degrassi characters, and moved the location to Canada. Pretty cool, huh? On with the show!]  
  
Chapter One: A Seller's Market  
  
It was a typical day at Degrassi Community School, and for the students in Mrs. Kwan's English class.  
  
"So, if we look at the diary of Anne Frank, was it written in the first or third person?"  
  
Toby Isaacs hand shot up.  
  
"Someone besides Toby." Mrs. Kwan prompted. She paused, and looked around to see if anyone was paying attention. "Does she say, she was forced to go into hiding?" Nobody moved. Mrs. Kwan sighed. "Toby?"  
  
"No." Toby answered. "She says I."  
  
"That's right, I. I was forced to go into hiding! This is called the first person. Remember that, because it will be on the test." Mrs. Kwan said. "Now, how would you describe Anne Frank?"  
  
"Lucky." Manny Santos whispered. She hadn't meant to utter it aloud, it was just a passing thought.  
  
But now everyone was staring at her intensely, even her so-called "friends" Emma Nelson and JT Yorke. Mrs. Kwan was not amused.  
  
"Anne Frank perished in a concentration camp! How could she be lucky?" Mrs. Kwan demanded.  
  
"I don't know...because she was trapped in an attic for three years with this guy she really liked?" Manny replied lamely.  
  
Mrs. Kwan raised her eyebrows. "You'll be with me for detention today, Miss Santos."  
  
Manny groaned and laid her head down on her desk.  
  
Class let out, and Manny, Emma, JT, and Toby walked down the hall together.  
  
"Nice going, Manny." JT said, giving her the signature JT smirk.  
  
"Shut up, JT. Man, I have to meet Benny at 3:30 today! How am I supposed to make it to the other side of town if I'm in detention with Kwan?" Manny complained.  
  
"You could reschedule." Emma suggested.  
  
Manny gave Emma a Look. "You don't reschedule with Benny Martinez, Em."  
  
"What exactly do you have to meet up with him for anyway?" Emma asked as she and Manny opened their lockers.  
  
"Um..." Manny stalled, trying to think about what to say, when all of a sudden...  
  
"Hey, Manny! What's up?"  
  
Saved by the bell. Or Craig Manning and Jimmy Brooks, to be exact.  
  
"Hey, guys!" Manny said, grateful for the interruption. "What's up?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. We need to talk to you." Jimmy said.  
  
Manny looked at Emma apologetically. "I'll see you later?"  
  
"Yeah. Bye Manny."  
  
"Later, Em."  
  
Manny followed Jimmy and Craig down the hall until they walked out of the side door leading to the shop. It was lunch time, so no one was really out there.  
  
"What's up, guys?" Manny asked.  
  
"Nothing, we just need to clarify what's going on tonight, and we couldn't really do that in front of Emma." Jimmy replied.  
  
"Okay." Manny folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the brick wall. "So? What's on the agenda?"  
  
"Well, we have to make an appearance at the hockey game tonight." Craig replied.  
  
"We?" Manny asked. "Why?"  
  
Craig rolled his eyes. "Let me rephrase. I have to make an appearance at the hockey game tonight."  
  
"Like I said, why?" Manny asked.  
  
"Because I have over six hundred dollars riding on this game tonight. It is finals." Craig responded.  
  
"Since when have we started betting on high school hockey games?" Manny replied.  
  
"Since it started paying." Jimmy replied. "And speaking of paying, what about you?"  
  
"I'm meeting up with Benny this afternoon after I get done with Kwan to replenish my inventory." Manny replied.  
  
"This afternoon?" Craig asked.  
  
"You heard me." Manny replied.  
  
"Okay, well, I need a favor. Actually, it's Spin that needs the favor." Jimmy said.  
  
Manny sighed. "How much?"  
  
"Gram." Jimmy replied.  
  
Manny sat and thought for a minute. "It'll cost him one twenty."  
  
Craig and Jimmy looked at her like she was crazy.  
  
"One twenty??? Are you kidding me? I can get it to him for seventy!" Craig said. "Manny, he's not gonna pay that!"  
  
"Craig, for the cheap Canadian shit, seventy is overcharging. But for the real, home grown, purified Columbian cocaine, one twenty is more than reasonable, okay? One twenty, take it or leave it." Manny replied.  
  
"Were you this bitchy when we went out?" Craig grumbled, slapping the money into Manny's outstretched hand.  
  
"Were you this whiney when we went out?" Manny shot back. Craig glared at her.  
  
"Anyway. Jimmy. Agenda?" Craig asked.  
  
"Manny, you and I are hitting up that Rave on the other side of Toronto. It's a total seller's market."  
  
"But that's like an hour away." Manny protested.  
  
Jimmy shrugged. "We'll get a room or something."  
  
Manny rolled her eyes. "You amaze me sometimes, you know that?"  
  
"Why?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Because. You don't even need the money, your parents are rich enough as it is. So why do you do this?"  
  
"What can I say, I need a thrill every now and then." Jimmy replied. "Rave tonight, yes or no?"  
  
Manny shrugged. "What the hell? I haven't been to a good party in awhile."  
  
"Alright, great. When you get done with Benny, give me a call." Jimmy said. "Oh, and uh...bring enough supplies to make a serious score tonight."  
  
Manny gave him the infamous Santos Stare.  
  
"What??? God, I hate when you give me that look!" Jimmy protested.  
  
"I can't buy enough supplies to make a serious score without having serious green to buy the supplies, Jimmy." Manny said. "Pay up."  
  
"Why don't I just go with you?" Jimmy suggested.  
  
"You can't. Benny wouldn't trust you." Manny replied.  
  
"Why not?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Number one, you're rich, and number two, you're not Puerto Rican. Benny only deals with members of the Latin community." Manny replied. "Which is where I come in."  
  
"Fine." Jimmy grumbled. He pulled his wallet out and discreetly handed a few bills to Manny. "That's a grand. Think you can pull anything decent with that?"  
  
"Oh I think I can try." Manny said with a sly smile. "Okay, so you want blow, X, crystal, drops, anything else? You want some grass?"  
  
"Please." Jimmy rolled his eyes. "Grass is for people who don't know quality."  
  
"Well then consider me unsophisticated." Craig spoke up. "Manny, get me a quarter." He handed her a twenty dollar bill and a five dollar bill.  
  
Manny counted out all the money the boys had given her and stuck it in her wallet, zipping her bag up. "Alright. Well, I guess I'll see you guys tonight."  
  
"Oh, I'm not coming to Toronto with you guys. Don't want Joey to get suspicious." Craig said.  
  
"Guess it's just you and me then." Jimmy said, looking at Manny.  
  
"Guess so." Manny replied. "I'll see you guys later. Craig, I'll try to drop by the game before I take off with Jimmy and deliver your stuff...is Spinner gonna be with you?"  
  
"Yeah. Just come find us at the rink when you get done with Benny, and stay clear of Paige, she doesn't know Spin's into this shit." Craig warned.  
  
"No problem." Manny replied. "See you guys."  
  
Manny walked back inside the building, leaving Craig and Jimmy standing by themselves. Jimmy watched Manny walk away and gave a low whistle.  
  
"Man...she is..."  
  
"She's what?" Craig asked, glancing back at her briefly.  
  
"I like the pants, let's just leave it at that." Jimmy responded. Craig gave him a Look.  
  
"Jimmy, man, don't get tangled up in her right now. There's too much on the line."  
  
"You got tangled up with her." Jimmy responded.  
  
Craig looked around to see if anyone was listening and then glared back at Jimmy. "Man, shut up!" he hissed. "That was before we started doing this, alright? There's too much money on the line right now. If you guys hook up and one gets pissed off at the other, there's no telling what'll happen."  
  
"She's not gonna get pissed off at me, Craig." Jimmy replied with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"Either way, if you guys do end up hooking up, I'm out. I'll go solo, make my own way. Alright?" Craig replied. "I'm not baggin', she's a great girl, and you guys would look good together, but it's just not a good time, alright?" Craig asked.  
  
"Yeah." Jimmy said. "Shit, we gotta get to class." He said just as the bell rung. 


	3. Chapter Two: Suppliers and Demanders

Chapter Two: Suppliers and Demanders  
  
Manny walked through the back alleys of her neighborhood, waiting to meet up with Benny Martinez, her supplier.  
  
Manny wasn't exactly sure how she had gotten into this. Just one night in the projects she was hanging out with her friend Rosa and they ran into Benny. Benny suggested Manny sell for him at Degrassi, and that was it. Pretty soon, everyone who was down for some action was coming to Manny trying to buy off her.  
  
Things came to a head when Jimmy approached her two months ago, and suggested they go into business together. Jimmy had mega connections in Toronto and a disposable income, so Manny knew it was a good idea. Somehow, Craig managed to come along for the ride. He had been betting on just about everything since middle school, and brought his gambling tendencies with him to Degrassi. Once Manny joined forces with her ex-flame Craig and Mr. Popularity Jimmy, their stock really took off.  
  
Manny was startled out of her thoughts as Benny Martinez came around the corner.  
  
"What's up, chica?" Benny asked.  
  
"Hola, Benny. Como estas?" Manny replied.  
  
"Can't complain. So, let's get to business, I have other places to be." Benny answered. "What can I do for you today?"  
  
"Alright, Benny, I've got a project for you, and I need it by tonight." Manny said. "In about four hours."  
  
Benny was taken aback. "Damn, chica, that's a lot of work. Tell me what it is and I'll see what I can do."  
  
Manny pulled out her wallet. "Alright, here's eighty for a gram of blow, and twenty for a quarter bag of grass, for personal friends of mine, so make sure you get the good stuff. Now, the rest? I'm gonna need 4 eight balls, 20 rolls, two grams of crystal, and about 50 drops. Can you do that?"  
  
"Got a big job tonight, chica?" Benny asked, taking the money from her.  
  
"You could say that." Manny replied. "Can you do it or not?"  
  
"Yeah, I got it. I'll meet you back here at six."  
  
"Alright. I got one more thing."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Dean Marin. What do you know about him?"  
  
"He's the biggest dealer in Toronto, and you and your friend are competition." Benny replied.  
  
"I know that, but what do you know about him?"  
  
"About twenty two, gringo, about 5'11, brown hair. Doesn't do drugs, but makes a killing selling them. Why do you wanna know?"  
  
"Just wanna get a leg up on the competition, that's all. Do you know where he hangs out?"  
  
"He frequents the Solid Gold strip club in Toronto. Chica, if I were you, I wouldn't cross him. He's pretty powerful."  
  
"I'm not gonna cross him, Benny. Thanks for the info. I'll see you back here later, alright?"  
  
"You got it, chica. Adios."  
  
Manny walked off in the direction of her house, and Benny watched her go, shaking his head.  
  
That girl had no clue what she was getting herself into.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Craig and Jimmy were standing at the front door of the Kerwin/Isaacs house, waiting.  
  
"Man, why did I have to come with you?" Jimmy complained. "I don't wanna deal with Ashley."  
  
"Hey, you're preaching to the choir, man. I don't wanna deal with her either. But I have business to attend to." Craig replied. Jimmy rolled his eyes and stared at the door. A moment later, it creaked open.  
  
Ashley Kerwin took one look at her visitors and rolled her eyes. Both of her ex-boyfriends on her front step. Celebration. She sighed. "What do you two want?"  
  
Suddenly, her stepbrother, Toby Isaacs shoved her aside. "They're here for me, Ash. Come on in, guys."  
  
"What's up Toby?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Not much, man. Come on, let's go upstairs."  
  
Jimmy and Craig followed Toby up the steps to his bedroom, where JT Yorke was currently hanging out. Toby shut and locked the door.  
  
"Alright, JT and I have spent the last few afternoons and nights hacking, downloading, recoding, and ripping everything you wanted." Toby said, taking a disk out from under his mattress. He popped it in his computer disk drive and punched in the run command. A few seconds later, a graphic that read "Shadow Walkers 3" emblazoned with a skull and flames appeared on screen.  
  
"Isn't that the new RPG game that's not going retail for another 3 months?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"That be the one." Toby replied. "I programmed it playable for PC, Mac, Gamecube, and Playstation, and recoded it so no one will be able to recopy or burn this."  
  
"Nice." Craig said, taking the disk out of the drive. "And this is non- traceable?"  
  
JT snorted. "He only re-routed his IP address about two hundred times."  
  
"They'll be trying to bust someone in Istanbul for it, I'm sure." Toby mused. "Okay, gentlemen, that's 25 copies like you asked for, now all I ask for is payment."  
  
Craig pulled his wallet out and flopped a handful of bills onto Toby's desk. "That's 25 copies at 25 bucks a pop, Toby. Oh, and here's a list of some other titles we may be interested it. We're still working on a buyer's list."  
  
"Alright, thank you." Toby said.  
  
"Well, we'd love to stay and chat, but we have a few deliveries to make." Craig said.  
  
"Later." Toby said.  
  
Craig and Jimmy let themselves out, and began walking down the street.  
  
"Video games." Jimmy said, staring at Craig.  
  
"Video games." Craig repeated.  
  
"Why?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Why not?" Craig replied. "Come on, Jimmy, the nerds of Degrassi have been clamoring over this game for months now. Why not bring it to them a little early? I have a list of guaranteed buyers, willing to pay 100 bucks each for this shit, man! That's twenty five hundred dollars! Think about it."  
  
Jimmy shrugged. "Guess you're right."  
  
"Come on, we have to drop these off at the geeks' houses, then we have to get to the hockey game in time to see if we can run a few more bets." Craig replied.  
  
"I'm on it. But I gotta leave the game early, get my shit together for Toronto." Jimmy said.  
  
"Cool with me." Craig replied. The two walked faster down the street until they reached the Van Zandt house. Craig rang the doorbell and waited impatiently. A moment later, Liberty Van Zandt answered the door.  
  
"Liberty! How's it going?"  
  
"Fine." Liberty replied. "You got SW3?"  
  
"You got the green?" Craig responded.  
  
Liberty held a crisp one hundred dollar bill in her fist. "What do you take me for, Manning?"  
  
"A very good customer." Craig replied, taking the bill from her and handing her the CD.  
  
"You think you can get me a copy of Dreamsweeper 5?" Liberty asked.  
  
"Already on it." Craig replied. "Love to stay and chat, but we have other buyers waiting on this."  
  
"Alright. Later."  
  
A few more stops, and Craig and Jimmy were on their way to the hockey game.  
  
Manny made her "appointment" with Benny to get her inventory, which she had promptly stuffed into her duffel bag. Except, of course, Craig and Spinner's stuff. Those went into the toes of her shoes. She had an interesting outfit packed for the rave tonight. Her friend Maria had called it "street walker attire" but Manny didn't care. She knew she looked hot in it. A red lace up corset, black miniskirt, black thigh-highs with matching garter belt, and black stilettos. That went stuffed into her duffel bag, along with her inventory, and a more comfortable outfit to sleep in. She hailed a cab to the game, paying the cabbie and walking inside. Looking around the arena, she quickly spotted Craig, Jimmy, and Spinner. Paige, Marco, Ellie, and Hazel were with them. Manny walked over to the bleachers.  
  
"Hey, Craig, Spinner, I need to talk to you." Manny said.  
  
"About what?" Spinner asked, glancing at Paige. Manny gave him a Look.  
  
"Oh!" Spinner said. "Okay. Come on, Craig."  
  
Spinner, Jimmy, and Craig followed Manny toward the bathroom. After a quick look around, Manny toed off her right sneaker, reaching inside it and pulling something out. She hugged Spinner and slipped it into his pocket.  
  
"Now, that is prime Columbian shit, cut twice, no fillers. My supplier just got back from Miami. If you like it, I can get you more. Alright?" "Alright, sounds good." Spinner said.  
  
Manny toed off her other shoe and repeated her earlier process with Craig. "Finest grass in Canada, Craig. Again, if you want more, I'll get you more."  
  
"Cool." Craig said.  
  
"Tell me I didn't just see what I thought I just saw." A voice exclaimed.  
  
Everyone groaned. Paige.  
  
Paige approached Spinner and reached into his pocket, pulling out the baggy Manny had slipped in just a few moments earlier.  
  
"Coke, Spin?" Paige asked, staring at him.  
  
"Paige, I can explain..." Spinner replied.  
  
"Damn right. Why aren't you sharing?" Paige asked. Everyone did a double take.  
  
"What?" Spinner asked, confused.  
  
"You honestly don't think I stay in a size 2 by exercising, do you?" Paige said with a giggle.  
  
"Um...no?" Spinner replied.  
  
"So, you guys got anymore?" Paige asked, looking at Manny and Jimmy.  
  
"Um...I...uh...we don't..." Jimmy stammered.  
  
"We don't sell, Paige." Manny said weakly.  
  
Paige rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys. Everyone in school knows, it's just no one says anything."  
  
"Right. Well, Manny and I have to bounce, we have stuff to do." Jimmy said.  
  
"Where you going?"  
  
"Um, nowhere, we just..." Paige gave Manny another Look, and Manny sighed. "Toronto." She resigned.  
  
"Toronto huh? For that rave?" Paige asked.  
  
"Something like that." Jimmy replied. "Now we have to go, so if you'll excuse us..." Jimmy and Manny turned to leave, when Paige's voice stopped them.  
  
"We're coming with you." Paige called. Jimmy and Manny turned around.  
  
"What?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Spin and I are coming with you." Paige replied simply.  
  
"Nuh-uh. No way. This is business, Paige, not fun." Manny replied.  
  
"Look, hun, it's real simple. Either Spin and I come with you, or I tell that security guard over there what you have in your bag, Manny. But don't worry, Jimmy, I'm sure he'll be surprisingly gentle with that rubber glove."  
  
Jimmy and Manny looked at each other and sighed.  
  
A few minutes later...  
  
"I can't believe you let her come." Manny muttered to Jimmy as she, Jimmy, Spinner, and Paige squeezed into the backseat.  
  
"I'm not fond of cavity searches, Santos, and I'm sure you're not either, so we had no choice." Jimmy muttered back.  
  
"So, this rave...who's DJing?" Paige chirped.  
  
"Don't know, don't care." Jimmy replied. "Look, this is business, Paige. Don't go screwing things up. We have to go to the hotel first, we have some stuff to do."  
  
"Like what?" Paige asked.  
  
"Get ready for the rave." Manny said.  
  
"Get ready for a rave? What could you possibly need to do before a rave besides have a few shots?" Paige asked.  
  
Later...  
  
"Step on it again. Really hard." Manny told Jimmy. Jimmy stomped down on the baggie lying on the floor with his boot until he heard a crunching noise.  
  
"There it goes." Manny said, picking it up and dumping its contents out on the table. "Gimme the lax."  
  
"What exactly are you guys doing?" Paige asked.  
  
"Replenishing our supplies. Most people at a Rave don't want to buy an eight ball. Most of them are already rolling and we don't want to kill anyone." Jimmy explained.  
  
"Okay, that about does it." Manny said after about an hour of she and Jimmy working at a feverish pace. "You guys ready?"  
  
Paige got up off the bed. "Finally!"  
  
"Alright, let's go hit this Rave." Jimmy said, pulling on a jacket. He held open the hotel room door for Manny, and she walked out. As she did, Jimmy watched her backside and legs move. The straps of the garter led Jimmy's eyes up exactly where they were supposed to. He took in a deep breath.  
  
Tonight was going to be an interesting night. 


	4. Chapter Three: The Rave

Chapter Three: The Rave  
  
As Jimmy, Spinner, Manny, and Paige stepped out of the cab and began walking into the warehouse the Rave was taking place, Jimmy grabbed Manny's shoulder. She turned and looked up at him.  
  
"Stay with me tonight, okay?" Jimmy asked. "Looking like that may get you in a little bit of trouble." He said with a wry smile as he looked down at Manny's attire. She smiled at him.  
  
"You gonna be my bodyguard?" she replied.  
  
"Something like that." Jimmy responded. "Come on, let's go."  
  
Jimmy and Manny followed Paige and Spinner into the rave, and automatically Paige and Spinner went off on their own, dancing and whatnot. Jimmy and Manny, on the other hand, went to work.  
  
They had made the rounds and had made around seven hundred dollars when a guy in his 30's approached Manny. Since most of the rave crowd were in their teens, the man stuck out like a sore thumb.  
  
"Hey there, girlie." He said. "I'm Tim."  
  
She looked at him dimly. "Um...Sara."  
  
"Do you know where I can get any drugs???" he asked, looking at her. Manny looked at him like he was crazy.  
  
"Are you kidding? Man, I don't do drugs! I'm just here to dance and maybe meet some boys, but I don't know about this place, they don't even play Britney Spears here and I love Britney, she's like soooo my idol!" Manny said with a girlish giggle.  
  
"Are you sure? I'd really love some cocaine right now. I love to get high!" the guy said.  
  
"I'll let you know if I see any, okay? I'm gonna go ask the DJ to play some Britney, I'll see you around!" Manny waved excitedly at him and then disappeared into the crowd. She franticly searched for Jimmy. He ended up finding her first.  
  
"Hey! Did you find any buyers?" He asked.  
  
"Find Spinner and Paige, we need to get the hell out of here." Manny said.  
  
"Why?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Five-oh." Manny replied.  
  
"Shit." Jimmy said. "Okay, let's find them."  
  
Jimmy and Manny quickly found Paige and Spinner, and the four teens ran out just as the cop was making his way towards them.  
  
"Oh god, that was so close! We almost got arrested!" Paige said, the excitement clearly heard in her voice.  
  
"We're not out of danger just yet Michalchuk, so haul ass!" Jimmy yelled as he was waving his arms trying to hail a cab.  
  
"Oh god, he's coming!" Manny said as she watched the cop exit the rave, scanning for them. "Hurry!"  
  
Jimmy finally flagged down a cab, and the four teens crunched into it.  
  
"Toronto Hilton, step on it." Jimmy told the cab driver.  
  
Later...  
  
"I can't believe we almost got arrested." Manny remarked when they were finally safe inside the hotel room.  
  
"I can't believe we still have four hundred dollars worth of inventory left over. What the hell are we supposed to do with all of this???" Jimmy asked, dumping the different bags of drugs on the bed next to Manny.  
  
"We'll just have to sell them on Monday." Manny replied. She grabbed one of the bags of cocaine off the bed and picked her nail file up off the bedside table. She scooped up a nice sized clump of it, held the file up to her nose, and inhaled deeply. She sniffled, wiping her nose. "Damn."  
  
"We could do some of it." Paige said hopefully. Jimmy rolled his eyes and snatched the baggie out of Manny's hands.  
  
"I don't think so. With a cocaine buffet spread out before you three, one of you is almost certain to OD if you even start." Jimmy replied. Paige, Spinner, and Manny groaned.  
  
"Oh, come on, Jimmy! Give us something!" Paige exclaimed.  
  
Jimmy looked on the bed and grabbed three baggies, each containing one ecstasy pill. He tossed the baggies at them. "Knock yourselves out."  
  
"Sweet!" Spinner said. "Time to party!"  
  
"Jimmy, aren't you gonna take one?" Paige asked.  
  
"Nah, I'm cool." Jimmy replied.  
  
"You mean you're gonna sit there sober while the rest of us roll?" Spinner replied. "Doesn't sound like much fun to me."  
  
Jimmy sighed. Spinner had a point. He reached for another ecstasy pill.  
  
"Alright, let's do this." 


	5. Chapter Four: About Manny

Chapter Four: About Manny  
  
Fifteen minutes after the four teens had popped the pills, the ecstasy began working its way through their bloodstreams. Paige and Spinner were already on one of the beds making out, leaving Jimmy and Manny to roll by themselves and entertain each other.  
  
"God, I feel good." Manny sighed, laying back. Jimmy laid down next to her and they both stared at the ceiling.  
  
"I forgot what rolling felt like...spent so much time selling it, I didn't have time to do it." Jimmy said.  
  
"Pretty awesome, huh?" Manny replied.  
  
"Oh yeah." Jimmy said. "God this is intense."  
  
Manny giggled. "Everything is intense these days. The market, the stakes, the cash. It's all intense. Like...intense."  
  
Jimmy laughed. "You have no clue what you're talking about."  
  
"Oh." Manny paused. "Do you?"  
  
Both teens erupted into laughter.  
  
"God I'm high." Jimmy laughed, running a hand over his face. "That feels good."  
  
"Everything feels good." Manny said with a slight giggle. "I feel like I'm floating."  
  
Jimmy looked over at Manny, who was still in her rave clothes, although she had taken off the shoes. He bit his lip as his eyes traveled up her body.  
  
"It's hot in here, aren't you hot? I'm so hot." Manny said, sitting up suddenly. She unhooked her garter from her stockings and peeled them off her legs, leaving them as a silk puddle on the floor.  
  
"You can say that again." Jimmy replied. Manny turned and stared at him.  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Um, nothing, sorry Manny. I didn't mean anything by it." Jimmy replied.  
  
"You think I'm hot?" Manny asked. "Really?"  
  
"Manny, I think you're gorgeous." Jimmy said. He touched her face. "Really, really gorgeous. And I really, really wanna kiss you right now..."  
  
Manny knew it was the ecstasy that was talking for Jimmy, but she didn't care. It had been so long since anyone had shown her any affection whatsoever. Besides, Jimmy was incredibly cute, and a great guy. So she didn't object when he began kissing her.  
  
After a few minutes of making out, Manny reached up and turned the lamp off, allowing darkness to encloak the room. They heard no protest from the other couple in the room, proceeded to progress to more "adult" activities.  
  
The Next Day...  
  
"So, how was the rave?" Craig asked, opening his locker. Jimmy shrugged.  
  
"We only made about six hundred, there was a cop. We ducked out early." Jimmy replied.  
  
Craig nodded. "Sucks. So what'd you guys do after?"  
  
Jimmy looked at the floor, not saying anything. Craig groaned.  
  
"You didn't." The statement was met with more silence from Jimmy. "You did? Man! I told you not to go there!"  
  
Jimmy glared at him. "I know. But you don't understand what went on...I mean, we're at the hotel with tons of drugs leftover, and Paige and Spinner and Manny all wanna roll, so we rolled. And things just got out of hand."  
  
"What was she wearing?" Craig asked.  
  
"Black miniskirt. Red corset. Garter belt. Thigh highs. Stilettos." Jimmy replied. Craig groaned again.  
  
"Manny Santos, garter belts and ecstasy is probably the worst combination in history." Craig said. "Or best, depending on how you look at it."  
  
"Yeah, really." Jimmy said, leaning against the lockers.  
  
"So what are you gonna do?" Craig asked. Jimmy shrugged.  
  
"I don't know, man. I haven't even thought about it."  
  
Craig looked down the hallway to see Manny walking down it with Emma and JT.  
  
"Well, you better think fast, because here she comes." Craig said.  
  
Manny approached Craig and Jimmy with JT in tow. "Yeah, I'll see you in class, Em. I just need to take care of something first."  
  
"Okay, I'll see you later then." Emma said with a quizzical expression on her face. She had been trying to figure out what Manny was up to for months, to no avail. She shrugged and continued walking down the hallway.  
  
Once Emma was out of earshot, Manny turned to Jimmy. "I need to talk you."  
  
"Manny, can we talk about last night later?" Jimmy asked. Manny gave him a Look.  
  
"This isn't about last night."  
  
"Oh...okay." Jimmy said, feeling sheepish.  
  
"I actually needed to talk to both of you." Manny said, looking at Jimmy and Craig.  
  
"Okay. What about?" Craig asked.  
  
"I want in." JT blurted out. Manny hit him in the shoulder.  
  
"JT, shut up! I said I'd take care of this!" she said.  
  
"He wants in." Craig stated, then laughed. "No way."  
  
"Why not?" JT asked.  
  
"Because you don't have the right temperament or edge to get in on this." Craig replied.  
  
"Come on, Craig." Manny protested. "I'm not saying to just let him run wild with our inventory, but...he can just be a runner, or something."  
  
"She does have a point. I do hate doing leg work." Jimmy said.  
  
"No way! I need you pirating that software for me." Craig replied. Dealing was fine for Manny and Jimmy, they had a natural edge to them that enabled them to sell cocaine to just about everyone. Manny had gotten to be so slick she could sell a gram to a bible thumper at confession on a Saturday. Jimmy was getting there too. But Craig's forte was piracy. He couldn't afford to lose the edge on that.  
  
"I can do both. There's nothing to hacking. And between me and Toby? That's more than enough manpower!" JT said. "Just give me a chance."  
  
"Tell me why I should give you a chance." Craig replied.  
  
"Craig, look at him. Who is gonna accuse JT Yorke of carrying drugs on him? It's not like he's Sean Cameron." Manny replied.  
  
"Which reminds me, why aren't we working with him again?" Craig asked.  
  
Jimmy snorted. "He knows the wrong people. They don't have money, and I'm not trying to get beat up for a gram every other day, if you know what I mean."  
  
Craig nodded. "Good point."  
  
"But getting back to JT. He's totally innocent looking, he can run all the leg work, and he does have a plucky sort of way about him." Manny said.  
  
"She's right, I got pluck." JT replied.  
  
"Yeah, well, go pluck yourself, JT. We don't need you to carry. We need you to pirate." Craig replied.  
  
JT glared at Manny. "Great guy you got running things, Manny."  
  
"He doesn't run things, we're a team." Manny replied.  
  
"Maybe. Or maybe he's just leading you around by the...well, I think you get my drift." JT replied.  
  
"No, I don't, JT. What's your drift?" Manny replied, pursing her lips.  
  
"Just that maybe...past history is clouding your judgment, that's all." JT responded. "Gotta go to Media Immersion and pound away with the other nerds. If you'll excuse me..." JT turned and headed off down the hallway.  
  
"Well, that went beautifully." Manny said sarcastically, glaring at Craig.  
  
"Don't give me the Santos glare." Craig chided her. "I'm just looking out for us, okay?"  
  
Manny rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Jimmy, you wanted to talk?"  
  
"Uh...yeah. You wanna go somewhere?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Yeah." Manny replied. "Come on."  
  
Jimmy began following Manny down the hallway, when he felt a hand on his shoulder stopping him. He turned to look at Craig.  
  
"Remember what I said, okay?" Craig asked.  
  
"Sure." Jimmy lied. "Hey, Manny, wait up!" he called. 


	6. Chapter Five: I'll Be Your Secret

Chapter Five: I'll Be Your Secret  
  
Manny and Jimmy headed outside near the shop to talk.  
  
"So, you wanted to talk?" Manny asked as they sat down on the steps.  
  
"Yeah. Manny, about what happened last night..." Jimmy started.  
  
Manny sighed. "Yeah, Jimmy, I know what you're gonna say. It was a huge ass mistake, you don't like me, it was the ecstasy talking...am I missing anything here?"  
  
"You're so off course it's not even funny, Manny." Jimmy replied, staring at her. "That's not what I was gonna say at all."  
  
"Then what, Jimmy? The whole, it's not you, it's me thing?" Manny shot back. "Just go ahead and say it, I can't take any more rejection this year."  
  
"Manny?"  
  
"Yeah?" she asked.  
  
"Shut up." Jimmy replied, kissing her. He pulled away after a few seconds, and Manny stared at him.  
  
"Whoa, what was that for?"  
  
"I like you, Manny, okay? And I don't regret what happened last night. It probably wouldn't have happened to that extent if not for the drugs, but...I don't regret it. Do you?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"No." Manny replied truthfully. "Not at all."  
  
"I'd like to take this further, but...you know Craig." Jimmy said with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"Don't mix business with pleasure." Manny said in a deep voice, imitating Craig's. Jimmy laughed.  
  
"Exactly. But...there's no need to tell Craig anything...if you catch my drift."  
  
Manny nodded. "I think so."  
  
"Great." Jimmy said. "I mean it, Manny. I really like you."  
  
"I really like you too." Manny replied with a smile.  
  
"So what are you doing tonight?" Jimmy asked.  
  
Manny froze. She was going to that strip club in Toronto to see if she could track down Dean Marin.  
  
"Um, I have to go over with stuff with Benny, and then I have to help my mom with some stuff." She replied.  
  
"Oh, okay." Jimmy nodded. "Well, I guess...you'll let me know when you're free?"  
  
Manny smiled. "Definitely."  
  
Later that night...  
  
The cab Manny was riding in slowed to a halt in front of Toronto's Solid Gold strip club.  
  
"Here we are, Miss." The cabbie said. "You work here or something?"  
  
"Not exactly." Manny replied, paying the cabbie.  
  
Manny flashed her fake ID to the doorman, and walked in. She had never been inside a strip club before, and didn't know what to expect.  
  
It wasn't too hard to recognize Dean Marin. He was constantly walking in and out of the club, tailed by plenty of big guys. After he had sat down awhile, she finally approached him.  
  
As she walked over to the table, a big, burly guy stood up and blocked her.  
  
"Maybe I should've RSVPed." Manny commented.  
  
"Depends on what you're after." Dean replied, looking her up and down.  
  
"Tell Baby Huey over here to back down, and we'll find out." Manny replied, glaring at the guy.  
  
"Cole, man, chill." Dean told the guy. Cole glared at her and sat back down.  
  
"So what can I do you for, Miss..."  
  
"Maria. Maria Sanchez." Manny replied. "And you are..."  
  
"Dean Marin. What can I do you for, Maria?" Dean asked.  
  
"I just saw you over there and thought I'd come over and say hi. I uh, like your style." Manny replied.  
  
"Have a seat, Maria." Dean replied.  
  
"I would, if I had a chair." Maria replied.  
  
Dean stretched his legs out and indicated his lap.  
  
"Even better." Manny replied, sitting down on Dean's lap. He ran his hand up her legs, as if he was testing her out.  
  
"I don't recall seeing you in here before." He commented.  
  
"Probably because I've never been in here before." Manny replied.  
  
"What's a sweet, sweet girl like you doing in a place like this?" Dean replied.  
  
"I just go where my intuition leads. And tonight, it seems as if it's led me right here...to you." Manny said. She was trying hard not to laugh at herself. She was laying it on pretty thick, after all.  
  
"I guess I'm lucky I came in tonight, then." Dean replied.  
  
"Guess so."  
  
"So, Maria...what is it you do?"  
  
"I'm a student, at the University of Toronto. English major."  
  
"Nice." Dean said. "You wanna get out of here?"  
  
Manny smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Craig and Jimmy were just walking out of their latest bet. The bet had been placed with a group of seniors on the latest Maple Leaves game, and they had managed to walk away with seven hundred dollars, which Craig referred to as "a start." However, their spirits were dampened by a "shadow" tailing them.  
  
"Please let me work for you guys!" JT yelled.  
  
"God, do you ever stop whining?" Craig asked, turning around to glare at him. Jimmy just kept walking.  
  
"When I get my way." JT replied.  
  
"Forget it." Craig said, turning around and walking ahead.  
  
"Then forget your software deal." JT called out. Craig stopped walking, but didn't turn around.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You don't want your software deal?" JT asked.  
  
"Fine, you can be a runner. But you only get twenty percent." Craig responded.  
  
"Alright! What's my first assignment?" JT asked.  
  
"Hey, James Bond? We don't do "assignments". We're more of a fly by the seat of our pants kind of operation, if you know what I mean." Jimmy said.  
  
"Oh, right." JT replied, pretending to understand.  
  
"Look, Manny handles all the inventory, so just call her or whatever and see what she wants you to do." Craig replied.  
  
"Alright, great!"  
  
"Great, now get out of here." Craig said flatly.  
  
"Aye, captain!" JT mock saluted, and headed off in the direction of his house.  
  
"Manny's right, the kid does have pluck." Jimmy noted. Craig rolled his eyes.  
  
"Go pluck yourself." 


	7. Chapter Six: Degrassi Royalty

Chapter Six: Degrassi Royalty  
  
It had been three weeks since Manny had first gotten hold of Dean Marin, and she, along with Craig and Jimmy, were reaping the benefits like no other.  
  
"Alright, so...the east side of Toronto is having a new club opening on Saturday. I want someone there, and I need them to pull at least a one thousand dollar profit." Dean told his group of guys as they all sat in his luxury high rise on the richer side of Toronto. Manny pretended to be watching TV, flipping through the channels and finally landing on a talk show. She booed and gasped at random moments to convince everyone there she was truly into the show.  
  
"Cole, you and Morris, I want you two over there. Saturday night. Club Mynx. Got it?" Dean said.  
  
"Alright, boss." Cole replied.  
  
Manny checked her watch. "Um, sweetie?"  
  
Dean turned to her. "What is it, Maria?"  
  
"I have to go to class." Manny lied. "I can see you're busy, so I'll just let myself out."  
  
"Okay. Call me later." Dean said. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips.  
  
"Okay. Bye hun." Manny waggled her fingers at him and headed out the door.  
  
She hailed a cab back to Degrassi, letting her off near Craig's house. Walking to his front step, she knocked on the front door. Craig answered a moment later, and Jimmy and JT were sitting on his couch.  
  
"Hey, we were wondering where the hell you ran off to." Craig said. "What's up?"  
  
"We have to hit up Club Mynx." Manny said, walking in and taking her coat off.  
  
"What is Club Mynx?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Um, it's this new club on Toronto's east side, opening on Saturday night."  
  
"Alright, sounds okay." Craig said. "I don't have any bets running this weekend, so I could definitely use the money."  
  
"Wait a minute, we can't. We have that thing Saturday night." Jimmy said, looking at Manny, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"That thing? Oh! Right, right. That thing." Manny said. "Yeah, Craig, Jimmy and I have to do inventory, we're gonna be working all night."  
  
"Working on what?" Craig asked, crossing his arms across his chest.  
  
"Hrrmffin." Jimmy mumbled, looking down.  
  
"What?" Craig asked.  
  
"Heroin, alright? It's coming back, we want a cut." Manny said.  
  
"You can't sell heroin, are you nuts?" Craig exclaimed. "That's worse than coke!"  
  
"How do you figure?" Manny asked.  
  
"Well, do you do coke?" Craig asked.  
  
"Yeah." Manny said. "So?"  
  
"Do you do heroin?" Craig questioned.  
  
"No way! You have shoot that shit up! I hate needles!"  
  
"I think you just proved my point, heroin is way worse than coke." Craig argued.  
  
"Ahem." Jimmy said. "If I recall, wasn't it you that sold a 20 rock to that Jay kid last week?"  
  
"That...that's different!" Craig spat.  
  
"Oh yeah, cuz you'd much rather have your heart explode on contact than be stuck with a needle." Manny said sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up." Craig replied. "Fine, do whatever, but I need someone to go with me to Mynx on Saturday, so, Manny, you're gonna have to bail."  
  
Manny gestured to JT. "JT's free."  
  
"Yeah, I'm free." JT said.  
  
"I am not going to Club Mynx with him." Craig stated.  
  
"Why not?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Because it's a gay club. They have one back in BC." Craig said.  
  
"Take Marco." Manny suggested.  
  
"You're not getting it, Manny. I don't want anyone thinking I'm gay. Sorry to be crude, but, I need to take someone with a vagina."  
  
"So take JT." Manny said.  
  
"Hey!" JT yelled. Jimmy snickered from his place on the couch.  
  
"Look, Jimmy and I are busy on Saturday, you and JT are going to Club Mynx, end of story." Manny replied.  
  
"Or what?" Craig shot back.  
  
"Or I tell Ashley what you're up to." Manny replied, raising her eyebrows challengingly. Craig had been trying to get back with Ashley for weeks, any sort of setback would be sure to send it crashing to the ground.  
  
Craig growled. "God I hate you Manny."  
  
"Love you too, Craig-y."  
  
The next weeks were a success. Craig and JT had pulled in over two thousand dollars working Club Mynx, while Dean's boys had made a measly six hundred, much to Dean's perplexity.  
  
Manny was learning to listen to everything Dean said out of the corner of her ear, sending in Craig or JT to do the dirty work. After all, if Dean caught her, her cover would be blown. And that couldn't happen, with all the benefits Manny was reaping.  
  
The others were doing okay too. JT had just bought the super computer of his dreams, and Jimmy was throwing lavish parties in the penthouse suite at some of the nicest hotels in the city almost every weekend.  
  
It was a Monday morning, and Jimmy was fast asleep after forgetting to set his alarm clock. As he slowly came into consciousness, he became aware of a horn blowing.  
  
"Jimmy!!!"  
  
He finally pulled himself out of bed and went to the window. Opening the blinds, he shook his head and grinned at what he saw. He opened his window and stuck his head out.  
  
"Where'd you steal that from?" he yelled, the humor evident in his voice.  
  
"That" was a candy apple red 2004 Ford Mustang, with Manny in the passenger side and Craig in the driver's seat.  
  
"I didn't steal it, I bought it!" Craig yelled back. "Is this a sweet ride or what?"  
  
"I'll say!" Jimmy yelled back.  
  
"Jimmy, get dressed, we're gonna be late for school!" Manny yelled.  
  
"Give me two minutes!" he yelled back. He shut the window and blinds and quickly got dressed, pulling on a pair of track pants and a sweatshirt, and sneakers. Grabbing his backpack, he ran out the front door and hopped in the backseat of the Mustang.  
  
"Man, I never thought you'd have a car this nice." Jimmy said, stretching out in the backseat.  
  
"Well, I figured I'd spend my drug money on something other than more drugs." Craig mused. "V8 engine, off the hook system, convertible, leather seats...can this get any better?"  
  
"I don't know man, looks good enough to me." Jimmy replied.  
  
"Jimmy, when are you gonna get a car?" Manny asked.  
  
"When I get my license." Jimmy replied. "What about you?"  
  
"I think I have awhile to worry about that. I'm thinking more along the lines of apartment."  
  
Craig looked at her as he turned the wheel. "You, get an apartment? You're fifteen, Manny."  
  
"Hey, I gotta get out of parent's hair, but more important, I gotta the hell out of the projects." Manny replied. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of just playing the cards I've been dealt."  
  
"I get you, Manny." Jimmy said sympathetically. "But we're not exactly playing with a full deck these days."  
  
"Thank god." Manny replied, pulling down the passenger seat visor to fix her lipstick in the mirror.  
  
"You guys, do you realize we're pulling in over four grand a week?" Craig asked. "That's more than Joey sometimes makes in a month."  
  
"At this rate, nothing in the world can bring us down." Jimmy said with a smile.  
  
Craig parked the car in the Degrassi school parking lot, and the three teens walked inside.  
  
It was funny. Just a few months ago, they were treated like any other students. Now, they were revered. Practically Degrassi royalty. Between Craig's new car, Jimmy buying a new pair of sneakers practically every day, and Manny's two thousand dollar Louis Vuitton handbag, it was obvious to the other students they had money, and they all wanted to be part of it.  
  
"Hey Manny!" a guy yelled. Manny just smiled at him. Various other kids yelled at the trio as they walked down the hall. Sometimes they acknowledged them, sometimes they didn't. It was nice to have the power.  
  
"Manny, hey!"  
  
"Oh, hey Emma. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing, where were you all weekend?" Emma asked.  
  
"Uh, Manny, we gotta get to homeroom, we'll see you later." Jimmy said.  
  
"Bye guys." Manny called. "Um, I was at work."  
  
"Oh, right. At that coffee shop...the one where I still don't know where it is."  
  
"Sorry. I keep meaning to bring you over there, but I keep spacing." Manny lied. "So what else is going on? How's the baby?"  
  
"He's fine. Snake's doing okay. A lot better mood." Emma said. "And, um...there's something else I need to tell you."  
  
"Emma!"  
  
Emma turned her head to see Sean walking down the hallway towards her, and she smiled.  
  
"Sean and I are back together." She finished with a smile.  
  
Manny grinned widely. "Emma, that's fantastic!"  
  
"Hey." Sean said, kissing Emma on the top of her head.  
  
"Hey." Emma replied.  
  
Sean began walking down the hallway with Manny and Emma to homeroom.  
  
"Wow, this is big. And I missed it." Manny said.  
  
"So what about you? Any new guys?" Emma asked.  
  
"Well, there's someone." Manny replied.  
  
"Who? Craig?" Emma asked in a loud whisper. Sean looked up in interest.  
  
"No, of course not. He's hard up for Ashley." Manny said with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"Jimmy?" Sean asked. Manny bit her lip and tried not to blush.  
  
"Oh my god, it is Jimmy!" Emma said as they walked into homeroom.  
  
"Don't tell anyone okay? We're still figuring things out, and it'll piss off a lot of people." Manny said as they sat down.  
  
"Don't worry about it, my lips are sealed." Emma said. She waited for Sean to say something, then elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Ow! Yeah, mine too." He said.  
  
Manny smiled. "Okay, great. We'll talk about it later...I could meet you at The Dot and we can gorge on veggie lover's pizza."  
  
"I'm there." Emma replied, as the bell rang.  
  
Jimmy was getting books out of his locker when Manny approached him.  
  
"Hey." She said.  
  
"Hey! What's up?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"I just needed to let you know I won't be right over at your house after school." Manny said.  
  
"Why not?" Jimmy asked, closing his locker door and looking at her.  
  
"I promised Em we'd go to The Dot and do the whole girl talk thing." Manny explained.  
  
"Damn. I wanted to see you...you know, alone?" Jimmy asked. He looked around to see if anyone was in the hallway looking at them, and kissed her quickly.  
  
"Jimmy, you can see me, okay?" Manny said, flashing him a dazzling smile. "After I'm done with Emma."  
  
"Okay..." Jimmy said wistfully. Manny laughed.  
  
"Don't give me that pouty face. I gotta go to class."  
  
"Alright. See ya."  
  
"Bye." Manny smiled at him again, and headed off down the hall.  
  
Later...  
  
Manny met up with Emma at The Dot, surprised to find only Emma there. According to her, Sean had to work. The two girls sat and talked for awhile, eating pizza, laughing, and talking like old times. But Manny had to get going. She had to run over to Dean's to see him.  
  
"Maria, I'm glad you're here!" Dean said. "How was class?"  
  
"Oh you know, class." Manny said with a shrug. "So what'd you do today?"  
  
"Not much, little selling here, little selling there. I want you to meet my new guy." He said.  
  
"Oh, okay." Manny said. "So where is he."  
  
"Right here." Dean gestured to the guy, and Manny felt her stomach flip flop.  
  
"Maria Sanchez, Sean Cameron." 


	8. Chapter Seven: Finding Manny

Chapter Seven: Finding Manny  
  
Manny couldn't find her voice. She knew it was over. Once Sean told Dean was what up, the jig was up. Hell, he might even shoot her.  
  
But Sean just looked at her coolly, like he'd never met her before. "Hi, nice to meet you."  
  
"You too." She croaked.  
  
"Sean's gonna handle all my dealing in this little town he lives in." Dean explained.  
  
"Oh. Cool." Manny replied. "Shit, you know what? I forgot I had that study group. I'm sorry honey."  
  
"It's alright. Your education comes first." Dean replied.  
  
"I've gotta be going too Dean, gotta back to Degrassi before dark." Sean said.  
  
"Alright man, well, call me later in the week and let me know how things go." Dean replied.  
  
"Alright, thanks." Sean replied.  
  
Manny was already halfway down the steps, running, when Sean left Dean's apartment.  
  
"Hey! Wait!" He jumped down the flight up steps and stepped in front of her.  
  
"Get out of my way, Sean." Manny said.  
  
Sean grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her up against the wall. "What the hell are you doing, Manny? You wanna get killed?"  
  
"Sean get off me." Manny said coolly, shoving him.  
  
"No! You listen to me! You're playing with fire here, and you're gonna get burned if you don't get out now!" Sean said. "He'll kill you!"  
  
"Oh look at you, you hypocrite! You're working for him!" Manny snarled.  
  
"I didn't lie about who I was, Manny. I never do. I'm Sean Cameron, take it or leave it. But you? You're playing three different parts! At school you're Manny the cheerleader, on the streets you're Manny the drug dealer, and here you're Maria the college student! How can you keep them all straight? It's gonna catch up to you, Manny. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, it will."  
  
"Sean, you of all people should understand what I'm trying to accomplish here. I'm this close to getting out of the projects." Manny said. "You know how it is where we live!"  
  
"And Dean is your way out?"  
  
"Dean is my leg up on the competition. I listen to his conversations, find out where he frequents, and I send people in to get there first." Manny replied.  
  
"And have you ever thought about what might happen if he found out? You're putting everyone at risk, here, Manny. You claimed to love Craig, but you send him in to do your dirty work. You claim JT is a great friend of yours, but you made him a runner. In the areas Dean frequents! You could get both of them killed if he finds out!"  
  
"He's not gonna find out, Sean. Unless you say something."  
  
"I'm not gonna say anything, Manny. But Dean didn't become the biggest drug dealer in Canada because he's stupid. He will find out. And I'd hate to be you, Craig, or Jimmy when he does." Sean replied. He turned to leave, but Manny grabbed at his shirt collar.  
  
"Sean, you can help me. You can let me know what's going on in there, and let me get out."  
  
Sean shook his head. "No way. You wanna get yourself, your ex boyfriend, and your current boyfriend killed, be my guest. But I am not going down with you." He turned and walked down the steps.  
  
"I'll tell Emma what you're up to." Manny threatened. Sean stopped, turned, and glared at her.  
  
"Manny, I'm still on your side right now. Don't make me fuck you over." He replied evenly. He continued down the steps.  
  
Manny sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. The life of Manny Santos...growing more complicated by the second.  
  
The Next Day...  
  
"You guys?" Manny sounded concerned as she looked up from the pile of money she was counting in Jimmy's living room, while Craig, JT and Jimmy were playing video games.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jimmy asked as they all turned their heads to look at Manny.  
  
"You guys may wanna come look at this." She said solemnly.  
  
Craig, JT, and Jimmy walked over to the couch where Manny was sitting and watched Manny count the money.  
  
"Nine thousand nine hundred ninety seven, nine thousand nine hundred ninety eight, nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine, ten thousand dollars." She looked up at the guys and grinned.  
  
Jimmy and JT's mouths dropped open. Craig had to sit down.  
  
"Holy...shit. Ten thousand dollars in one week." He said.  
  
"We did it." Manny said, staring at the money in disbelief. "I can finally get out of the projects."  
  
Jimmy reached for the phone.  
  
"Jimmy, who are you calling?" Craig asked.  
  
"Dylan."  
  
"Michalchuk? Why?" Manny asked.  
  
"Because he's the only one that can buy liquor. And we're gonna need a whole lot of it for the party tonight!" Jimmy said.  
  
"Holy shit!" Manny yelled, laughing. "We're rich, you guys!"  
  
"Manny, this is only the beginning!" Craig said excitedly, throwing a wad of bills at her.  
  
"Hey!" she yelled, throwing a bunch back at him. She missed, and hit JT.  
  
"Alright, that's it!" JT yelled, throwing more money at Manny. "Get her!" he yelled as he and Craig ganged up on her.  
  
Manny squealed as she was bombarded with cash. She never thought she'd get into a money fight. She never thought she'd be getting out of the projects either. But it seemed like her luck was finally changing.  
  
Nothing could bring her down.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Dean looked up at his "cronies" angrily.  
  
"Can anyone tell me why we're twenty thousand below what we normally are in a week?" he asked.  
  
"Because we're not selling, boss." Cole said.  
  
"Good, Cole. You're right, we're not selling. Can anyone tell me why?"  
  
"Because someone else is." Morris answered.  
  
"Exactly. Now, I don't take kindly to people coming in to my turf, selling on my turf, and making more money on my turf than I do! Because I don't like losing money." Dean said, pausing to snort a line. "Now, I keep hearing this name around town. Manny something."  
  
Sean's head snapped up. Shit. He knew Manny would get caught eventually.  
  
"He's Puerto Rican or something, I don't care. The point is, I don't like him dealing on my turf. Find this Manny guy, and everyone that works for him, before he takes anymore of my cash, alright? All of you!" Dean barked.  
  
"Okay, boss." Sean and the rest of the guys answered. As they left to go about their daily jobs, selling, organizing, whatever, Sean headed back to Degrassi. He needed to find Manny, before someone else did. 


	9. Chapter Eight: The Job

Chapter Eight: The Job  
  
Manny was walking out of the mall, six shopping bags in hand. She had gone into the mall to find an outfit for that night's party, and walked out with a new spring wardrobe. She shrugged. It wasn't like she didn't have the money.  
  
As she rounded the corner where the bathrooms were, a person came out from behind her and grabbed her, clapping their hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. She tried anyway, but nothing could be heard.  
  
"Shut up, it's me." The low voice said into her ear. Sean! "I need to talk to you." He let her go, and she turned around and glared at him.  
  
"You scared the shit out of me." She said.  
  
"We need to talk." He said.  
  
"So talk."  
  
"Not here." Sean replied.  
  
"Then where?"  
  
"Come on." Sean and Manny walked into the girl's bathroom and into the big, handicapped stall. Sean shut and locked the door, and then walked over to the toilet, standing on top of it so no one could see his shoes.  
  
"What's going on, Sean?" Manny asked.  
  
"Marin's on to you." Sean replied.  
  
"You're kidding." Manny said softly. Sean shook his head.  
  
"He ordered us to find 'this Manny guy' and everyone that works for him." Sean replied. "Manny, you need to stop. Or cut back. Or stay away from Toronto."  
  
Manny laughed. "He thinks I'm a guy?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then there's nothing to worry about. I'm still Maria to him. I can still do what I'm doing and have nothing happen to me."  
  
"Manny, think logically. He's gotten this far, all he has to do is start asking around, and you're dead." Sean said. "Come on, you don't wanna die."  
  
Manny rolled her eyes. "Don't be so melodramatic, Sean. I'm not gonna die. I made ten thousand dollars this week. I'm invincible. Nothing is gonna happen to me."  
  
"What about Jimmy, or Craig, or JT?"  
  
"Sean, they're safe as kittens. You have nothing to worry about." She unlocked the stall and walked out of the bathroom. Sean hit the wall angrily.  
  
That was the last time he'd do something nice for Manny Santos.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
JT was biking home to change clothes before Jimmy's party, and he was on top of the world. He had five hundred dollars in his pocket and knew he was guaranteed more. Nothing could bring him down.  
  
That was probably why he didn't notice the black car following him for the past fifteen minutes. Finally though, he did, and felt his stomach turn.  
  
'Don't panic.' He thought. 'Whatever you do, don't panic.' As he sped up on his bike, the car sped up. The car went much faster than the bike. JT kept telling himself not to panic, but as the car pulled up mere inches away from JT, he panicked.  
  
"Shit!" he yelled. The car suddenly hit him, sending his body flying over some trash cans. He hit the concrete sidewalk with a thud.  
  
As he lay on the sidewalk in pain, the car quickly hit in reverse and sped on down the road.  
  
Later...  
  
Manny walked into Jimmy's apartment, where Craig, Spinner, Paige, Marco, Dylan, Ellie, Hazel, Terri, and Ashley were currently hanging out.  
  
"Hey guys." She said. "Where's JT?" she asked as she took her coat off.  
  
Jimmy shrugged. "Dunno. He said he was coming."  
  
A few seconds later, Ashley's cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello? Toby, what do you...oh my god. Oh my god. Well is he...alright. Okay. Bye." Ashley hung up her phone, her face pale.  
  
"Ash, what is it?" Craig asked.  
  
"JT's in the hospital." She said in disbelief. "Toby said he got hit by a car."  
  
Manny and Jimmy looked at each other fearfully. While Jimmy had no clue about Manny's involvement with Dean, he definitely knew who Dean Marin was, and that they were taking a big risk by selling drugs in the first place. He grabbed his jacket.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Later...  
  
"Did you see anyone? What kind of car was it?" Craig questioned.  
  
JT shrugged as he lay in the hospital bed, with a broken arm, leg, and collar bone. "I have no idea. All I know is I'm minding my own business, and wham! JT goes flying. It was like that ET scene, only instead of the moon, I got trashcans as my background. Lovely." He said sarcastically.  
  
"So you have no idea who could've done this." Craig stated.  
  
"I do." Manny spoke up. "It was Dean's guys."  
  
"How do you know?" Jimmy asked. "I mean, I don't doubt it, but we need proof."  
  
Manny suddenly looked guilty. "Sean Cameron told me that Dean knows who I am."  
  
Jimmy clenched his fists. "Sean Cameron, huh? And how would he know?"  
  
"He works for Dean." Manny replied.  
  
"Okay, wait a minute, Manny. You're gonna have to explain this to me, because I'm not getting it!" Craig yelled. "You're telling me you're friends with the enemy?"  
  
"Sean is not the enemy. He's doing the same thing I'm doing...trying to get the hell out of the ghetto. But you two wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" Manny yelled back.  
  
"Don't make this into a class thing, Manny, because it isn't!" Jimmy said. "This is about you consorting with Sean!"  
  
"Hey, Sean is saving our ass by telling me. At least we know what we're up against." Manny shot back.  
  
"Saving our ass? Look at JT! He's laying up in a hospital bed! Did Sean save his ass? I don't think so!" Craig yelled. "You're putting all of us at risk because you have a soft spot for low class losers!"  
  
"Hey fuck you, Craig!" Manny yelled. "Fuck you! Go back to your car dealer step dad in your nice little house, where you don't have to work for shit! Never had to work for shit in your life, because Daddy paid for it all!"  
  
"Shut up." Craig growled.  
  
"Yeah, it's okay if he beat you, because he'd buy you something after, right?" Manny kept on. "Black eye for a GI Joe?"  
  
"If you weren't a girl, I swear to god..." Craig threatened.  
  
"Hey! Craig, don't threaten her!" Jimmy said. "Manny, you are way outta line."  
  
"I don't need your help, Jimmy. You, on the other hand, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be able to sell. You have no connections, no street cred. All you have is a nice house in a ritzy neighborhood, and two thousand pairs of Air Jordans. You guys bitch over new Mustangs and new shoes, when I actually want a life for myself. But I help you guys anyway, help you afford said Mustangs and said new shoes, and this is how you repay me. By blaming everything on me!" Manny yelled. "Well you know what? I don't need you. I have my supplier, I have all my sources, and that's all I need. Pointe blank. See how far you get without me!" She slammed the hospital door, storming down the hall.  
  
"Bitch." Craig muttered.  
  
"Watch it." Jimmy said, glaring at him, before leaving to chase after Manny.  
  
"Yeah, just leave JT here. He's fine, he can take care of himself." JT said sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up." Craig replied.  
  
Later...  
  
"So we have tracked down his location, is that right?" Dean asked Cole, his right hand man.  
  
"That's right, boss. Degrassi." Cole replied.  
  
"Did you get the names of his associates?" Dean replied.  
  
"Craig Manning, Jimmy Brooks, and JT Yorke. But Morris already took out Yorke. Ran his ass right over." Cole replied.  
  
"Alright, good work. Sean!" Dean yelled. "Get your ass in here!"  
  
Sean poked his head into the VIP room at Solid Gold strip club. He had been entertaining himself on the main floor by imagining installing one of those poles in Emma's bedroom.  
  
"What's up?" Sean asked.  
  
"Sit down, my man." Dean replied. Sean sat down in the seat across from him, his stare unwavering. Dean pulled out a Beretta forty five caliber hand gun and laid it on the table. Sean kept staring at Dean.  
  
"You don't scare easily, do you, Cameron?" Dean asked.  
  
"Not really, no. I figure you've gotta die sometime." Sean replied.  
  
"Man with no fear. Just what I need." Dean paused. "You know how to use one of these?"  
  
"Like the back of my hand." Sean replied.  
  
"Great." Dean replied. "I've got a job for you then. Ten thousand dollars."  
  
"What is it?" Sean asked, curiosity getting the best of him.  
  
"I need you to go Degrassi, and take care of something for me. I have this list...Manny Santos, JT Yorke, Jimmy Brooks, and Craig Manning." Dean replied.  
  
Sean's eyes widened. "What about them?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.  
  
"I need you to kill Manny Santos, and all his friends." Dean responded. 


	10. Chapter Nine: Secrets and Lies

Chapter Nine: Secrets and Lies  
  
Jimmy and Manny were currently sitting in Jimmy's living room after Jimmy had chased her down and insisted upon talking with her.  
  
"Look, Manny. I'm sorry about what happened in the hospital. There were a lot of emotions going around, and...come on, you don't wanna give up on this, do you?" Jimmy asked. Manny just kept staring at the floor. "Look at me, Manuella." Manny's head snapped up.  
  
"You...you've never called me Manuella before." She commented.  
  
"Well, I figure times like these kinda warrant it." Jimmy replied. "Look, Manny, if you don't want us working together anymore, that's cool. I don't need the money that bad. But this," he grabbed her hand, kissing it. "I am not letting this go. I am not letting you go."  
  
Manny smiled. "Jimmy..."  
  
"Shhh. Come here." Jimmy pulled her toward him and bent his head, kissing her.  
  
"Holy shit." A voice rang out through the room, causing Manny and Jimmy to jump apart. Craig was standing at the door glaring at them.  
  
"Can't you knock?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"How did I know that this would happen? I mean, I'm talking about Manny Santos here. She lures guys in for fun!" Craig said, basically talking to himself.  
  
Manny had had it with Craig's sarcastic, smart ass remarks for one day. She rushed toward him, and slapped him as hard as she could. He clapped a hand to his cheek and stared at her.  
  
"What Jimmy and I do or don't do is none of your business, Craig." Manny said, her voice displaying no emotion. "If I were you, I'd mind your own business."  
  
"If I were you, Manuella, I'd never slap me again." Craig replied. "I'm out. Give me my money."  
  
"You can't just cut out like that, man!" Jimmy said.  
  
"What did I tell you, Jimmy? I said we can't mix business with pleasure! It gets the emotions too high and you can't be emotional when it comes to drugs! What's gonna happen when you guys break up? The whole business is gonna under! I don't wanna be around for that. So give me my money, I'm out."  
  
Manny grabbed two thousand and threw it at him. "Take your fucking money, Craig. I don't give a shit anymore. Because that's you, in a nutshell. Always leaving me when I depend on you!"  
  
"That's different, Manny, that was an accident." Craig replied.  
  
"Yeah, and I went and fell for Jimmy on purpose." Manny said sarcastically. "Craig, I didn't jeopardize the business on purpose, okay? It just happened."  
  
"I don't care, Manny. I don't care. I'm out." Craig replied, still picking up his money off the floor.  
  
"You're jealous." Jimmy said suddenly. Craig's head snapped up.  
  
"Excuse me?" he said.  
  
"You're jealous. You still have feelings for Manny." Jimmy said. "That's why you didn't want us together."  
  
Craig scoffed at Jimmy's statement. "If I wanted Manny, I could have Manny."  
  
"I'm still in the room, Craig!" Manny reminded him. "And don't be so sure of that. After what you did to me, nothing could make me go back to you. Nothing. You're a business associate who happens to be my ex boyfriend. That's it. I cut you in because you have a flair for the scene. That's the only reason. You mean nothing to me."  
  
Now it was Craig's turn to be caught off guard. "Nothing?"  
  
"You heard me. Nothing." Manny replied. "Now go, run along with your money. Tell Ash I said hi."  
  
Shaking his head, Craig walked out, slamming the door behind him. Jimmy sighed and ran his hand over his head.  
  
"This has been one fucked up day."  
  
"Tell me about it." Manny replied.  
  
"What are we gonna do? One of our guys just walked, and the other one is in a hospital bed." Jimmy said.  
  
"No problem, Paige and Spin have been wanting in on it for awhile. I'll give them a call."  
  
"You know, we may not even have to pay them. We could just give them free drugs." Jimmy offered. Manny laughed.  
  
"I love the way you think." She said.  
  
"And I love the way you look in that sweater." Jimmy replied, picking her up by her waist. He tossed her on the couch, turned off the lamp, and dove on top of her.  
  
The Next Day...  
  
Manny walked down the hallway towards the girl's bathroom. It was the middle of first period. She was halfway there when out of nowhere someone grabbed her and threw her into an empty classroom.  
  
"What the..." Manny trailed off and rolled her eyes in annoyance when she saw who had done it. "You have got to stop doing that."  
  
"I need to talk to you." Sean replied, shutting the door to the room.  
  
"Ever heard of phones, Cameron?" Manny replied.  
  
"Look, you need to get the hell out of Degrassi." Sean replied. "You need to get Craig, Jimmy, JT, and anyone else you're working with these days, and get the hell out of here. Go to BC or something, but you can't stay here anymore." Sean replied.  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"Because Dean's ordered a hit on you." Sean replied. Manny laughed.  
  
"How can he order a hit on someone he can't even recognize?" Manny replied. "I've been in his bed. Me, his biggest drug dealing competition, in his bed, with him. If he couldn't pick me out without a scrap of clothing on me, then how is he going to find me?"  
  
Sean lifted his shirt tail and pulled a gun from the waist of his jeans and pushed Manny against the wall. He put the gun against her head.  
  
"This isn't a fucking game, Santos!" Sean roared.  
  
"What is your problem?" Manny yelled.  
  
"Because I'm the one!" Sean yelled.  
  
"The one what?" Manny asked. Sean didn't say anything. "The one what, Sean? Tell me!"  
  
"I'm the one that's supposed to kill you, Manny! Me! This gun against your head? Dean's gun! I'm supposed to pull the trigger and get rid of you! He's paid me ten grand to do it!"  
  
Manny didn't say anything, just looked at Sean in fear.  
  
"I'm not gonna shoot you, Manny. But you and your friends need to get the hell out of Degrassi, before someone else thinks the money looks pretty good, and takes the job for me." Sean said, tucking the gun back into his waist band. Manny hurried to the door and opened it. She gasped and stopped in the doorway.  
  
"Oh my god..."  
  
Sean's face went white. "Oh god, Emma..."  
  
Emma stared at her best friend and her boyfriend. "You're both...you're...you're drug dealers?"  
  
"Em, you wouldn't understand..." Manny began.  
  
"You're right I wouldn't understand!" Emma yelled.  
  
"Emma, you don't live like us, you don't know what it's like to scrape for food and know you deserve better!" Manny said, defending herself.  
  
"So killing people, contributing to the death and decay of society, breaking how many different laws, that's bettering yourself? Because it doesn't look like it, Manny. It looks like you're getting worse!"  
  
"Em..." Sean began, touching her shoulder. She jerked away.  
  
"Don't touch me! You're a hitman!" she said, aghast. She turned and ran down the hallway.  
  
"Emma!" Sean yelled. Manny grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"Wait. Give her time. She'll come around." Manny replied. Sean glared at her.  
  
"Manny, I do not need your help. Stay away from me, and stay away from Emma, before you get both of us killed." Sean replied, taking off down the hallway after Emma.  
  
Manny slid down the door until she hit the floor and leaned against it. How did everything get so complicated? 


	11. Chapter Ten: We All Fall Down

Chapter 10: We All Fall Down  
  
Sean stuffed some clothes into his duffel bag, along with the money Dean had given him. He zipped up the bag and looked around the room to see if he was forgetting anything.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sean whirled around to find Emma in his room, looking at him.  
  
"Packing." He replied solemnly.  
  
"Packing. Drug dealing, killing spree road trip?" Emma asked sarcastically.  
  
"Em, don't do that." Sean replied.  
  
"Why are you leaving, Sean? Why are you leaving me?" Emma asked, close to tears. "I thought we had something."  
  
"We do." Sean rushed over to her and put his hands on her face. "Em, we do. This is for your own good. For my own good."  
  
"I just don't understand why you're leaving me." Emma replied.  
  
"Emma, I made a deal and got in over my head." Sean replied.  
  
Emma sniffled, wiping her tears off with her sleeve. "What kind of deal?"  
  
"It'd be better if you didn't know..."  
  
"What kind of deal, Sean???" Emma yelled. Sean sighed.  
  
"The guy I work for, Manny is his biggest competition. He paid me ten thousand dollars to kill her." Sean replied. Emma gasped and held a hand to her mouth. "I couldn't do it, Em. I took his gun, I took his money, but I knew I wasn't going to kill her."  
  
"Then why..."  
  
Sean shrugged. "I don't know. I did something really stupid. When it gets back to Dean that I didn't do it, he's gonna come after me. And everyone I care about. I love you, I couldn't do that to you." He kissed her softly. "I have to go."  
  
"Where are you gonna go?" Emma asked.  
  
"New York." Sean replied. "I know some people there."  
  
"New York City? As in the States?" Emma asked in disbelief.  
  
"I'll come back for you." Sean replied. "I've gotta go, Em. You need to get out of here."  
  
Emma nodded. "I love you."  
  
Sean kissed her passionately. "I love you too." With that, he headed out the door.  
  
Emma felt her knees give out, and she fell on Sean's bed, sobbing. Her best friend was a drug dealer, her boyfriend was a hit man, and they were enemies. Life couldn't get anymore complicated.  
  
Later...  
  
"So, Cameron bailed?" Dean asked.  
  
"Word on the street is the kid went to NYC." Cole responded.  
  
Dean shook his head angrily. "Alright, I guess I'll have to take care of this myself." He pulled his Glock forty five out of its holster and loaded it.  
  
"Cole, get the car. We're gonna take a road trip to Degrassi. Get Benny Martinez on the phone, I need to talk to that clown."  
  
Still Later...  
  
"Manny, are you sure about this? I thought you said Benny didn't trust rich guys." Jimmy commented as they walked down the empty alley. It was about nine o'clock at night, and Benny had called Manny, urging her to meet him at their usual drop off spot.  
  
"Well, he said he really wanted to meet the guy that's been bringing in all his profit." Manny replied. "This is good, Jimmy. Maybe now that he realizes we're big sellers he'll cut his price a bit."  
  
"I guess you're right." Jimmy replied. They finally reached the drop off point, and waited for Benny to show up.  
  
"Yo, Manny!" a voice yelled. Benny came out of the shadows and began walking toward the pair.  
  
"That's him." Manny replied. "Yo, ese', what's up? What's goin'...oh fuck." Manny's stomach dropped when she saw who accompanied him. "Dean..."  
  
"Dean?" Jimmy asked fearfully. "Oh shit."  
  
"So this must be the infamous Jimmy Brooks." Dean said, circling him.  
  
"Must be." Jimmy shot back, staring him down.  
  
"So you're the guy that's cost me thousands of dollars." Dean shook his head. "Look at you, you're a fucking kid."  
  
"A kid that bamboozled you out of a lot of money, no doubt."  
  
"Shut up." Dean said. He pulled out his forty five. "You know, I don't know how they do things in Degrassi, but over here in Toronto, when you move in on another guy's territory, there are consequences and repercussions."  
  
Jimmy's eyes widened as Dean cocked his gun and aimed.  
  
"Jimmy!!!!" Manny shrieked. 


	12. Chapter Eleven: Getting Burned Final Cha...

Chapter 11: Getting Burned  
  
Jimmy fell to the ground as the bullet went into his right shoulder, and Manny was on her knees next to him in an instant.  
  
"Oh god, Jimmy...I'm sorry, this is all my fault."  
  
"Manny, I'm fine." Jimmy said. "Really."  
  
Suddenly, Manny felt something small, cold, and hard at the back of her head. The hairs on her neck stood up as it clicked in her mind what it was. She slowly rose to her feet, gun still at her head.  
  
"Maria, huh? I should've known all this time. The reason why my funds and sales were slipping, not because of this clown here." He kicked Jimmy in the stomach, laughing when Jimmy groaned in pain. "But because of you, Manny Santos." He grabbed Manny by her hair and pushed her. "It's a shame, you really were dynamite in bed, baby."  
  
"Fuck you." Manny spat.  
  
"Oooh. I'm frightened, really." He looked down at Jimmy. "I think I'll kill the bitch first, Brooks. I wouldn't want you to miss that." He cocked the gun again and pointed it straight at Manny.  
  
It was all so surreal, Manny thought as her life flashed before her eyes. She never thought she'd be staring down the barrel of a gun with her boyfriend laying bleeding on the ground. All because she wanted to make some extra cash.  
  
"Say goodnight, bitch." Dean said. Manny squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
She heard the gunfire, but she didn't feel it. She finally cracked her eyes open just in time to watch Dean fall to the ground. Behind him stood Craig, holding a shiny silver Glock.  
  
"Goodnight, bitch." He said. He stuffed his handgun in the back of his pants, and hurried over to Jimmy. "Jesus, are you alright?"  
  
"What the hell does it look like? I just got shot in the arm!" Jimmy yelled.  
  
"We gotta get the hell outta here, guys." Manny said, worried, looking around. "You just killed a guy!"  
  
"I was trying to save your ass, Santos." Craig grunted.  
  
Suddenly, a car pulled to a halt in front of them, the headlights blinding Manny, Craig, and Jimmy. Manny squinted to see who it was, when a girl poked her head out of the driver's side window.  
  
"Need a lift?"  
  
"Paige! Thank god you're here!" Manny said. "Jimmy's hurt, we gotta get him to a hospital."  
  
"We gotta get you guys the hell out of here, more like it." Spinner was with her, and quickly got out of the car to help Jimmy.  
  
With Jimmy safely in the backseat, Spinner hopped in front, and Craig and Manny got in the back with Jimmy.  
  
"Okay, so, what's the closest hospital?" Paige turned around to look at Craig, when an ear-piercing shatter erupted through the car. Paige and Manny screamed, petrified.  
  
Everyone turned around to look to where the sound had occurred. The back window had been shot out, and behind them was a car barreling towards them.  
  
"Shit! That's Dean's boys! Drive, Paige!!!" Manny yelled.  
  
Paige hit the gas hard and put the car in first, speeding through the back alleys of Toronto. The car that had fired the shot was hot on their trail, and more shots rang out.  
  
"Shit, they're still on our ass." Craig said, looking back.  
  
"What the hell did you guys do???" Spinner asked.  
  
"Craig kinda killed Dean Marin." Manny said.  
  
"Kind of???" Paige asked, struggling to take a turn way too fast. "How are we supposed to get Jimmy to the hospital if we're being tailed by gangsters???"  
  
"Look, I wasn't really thinking about that, okay?" Craig asked.  
  
"Well maybe you should have!" Paige shot back.  
  
"Both of you shut up and let me think!" Manny said. "I got us into this whole mess, now I've gotta get us out of it!"  
  
"And just how do you plan on doing that?" Paige asked. "I can't keep driving like this forever!"  
  
Manny looked at her four friends, Craig reloading his handgun, Spinner checking the rear view mirror to see if they were still being followed, Paige driving like a maniac, and Jimmy holding his arm in pain, his eyes squeezed shut. She sighed.  
  
This was all her fault. If she had never agreed to sell for Benny in the first place, if she hadn't gotten so greedy, if she hadn't pulled Jimmy and Craig into this, none of it would have happened. She knew what she had to do.  
  
"I got it, you guys." Manny said softly. Craig jerked his head up and looked at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't worry. It'll be fine." Manny replied.  
  
"Manny, what the hell are you gonna do?" Spinner asked.  
  
"I'm gonna take care of it. They want me, they'll get me."  
  
"Manny, are you crazy?!? They'll kill you!" Jimmy yelled.  
  
"And it'll be over!" Manny yelled. "I have to!"  
  
"No! Hell no!" Jimmy grabbed her arm. "I can't let you do this!"  
  
Manny smiled at him sadly. "It'll be okay, Jimmy." She leaned down and kissed him softly. "I love you." She whispered in his ear.  
  
"Manny, what are you doing???" Paige asked as Manny opened the door.  
  
"Keep going, Paige. Don't turn around." She said. She took a deep breath and jumped out of the car. She hit the pavement hard, and tumbled a few feet.  
  
"Manny!!!"  
  
She couldn't move. Her head was ringing and her entire body ached. She saw the headlights of the other car pull up, and then stop. The doors opened, and three guys got out.  
  
"Well, well. What do we have here?" one of them asked, holding a nine millimeter similar to Craig's. He cocked it, and held it against Manny's temple.  
  
Manny took a deep breath. This was it.  
  
Suddenly, a car came barreling toward them, knocking over the three guys and running over Manny's arm. She screamed in pain, still unable to move. The car came to a stop, and Craig jumped out, aiding to Manny's rescue. He picked her up and carried her to the car, running.  
  
"You're fucking crazy, you know that?" he muttered as he put her in the car.  
  
"Craig, move it, let's go!!!" Paige yelled from the front seat.  
  
Craig jumped in the back and Paige hit in reverse, backing out of the alley.  
  
"I can't believe you did something so stupid, Manny!" Jimmy yelled. "If Paige hadn't turned around, you'd be dead right now!"  
  
"Well, on the bright side, we're not being followed anymore." Manny said weakly.  
  
"And on the dim side, you've got a broken arm and god knows what else." Craig replied. "Now we have to take two people to the hospital. But it doesn't matter, because it's over now."  
  
Manny looked at Craig like he'd just said something in Sanskrit.  
  
"You honestly think it's over?" Manny asked. She laughed bitterly. "Manning, it's just beginning."  
  
THE END  
  
(or is it?)  
  
[Author's Note: I appreciate all the great comments you guys have given me throughout the story. There will be a sequel, oh yes, there will be a sequel!!!] 


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